An award-winning global incubator of corporate R&D and innovation
Since 2009, Pilot Lite Group has successfully launched more than 220 validated technologies, assets, or companies by failing fast and learning quickly.
How we work
Pilot Lite is an award-winning global incubator that uses a unique AI-driven, human-supported process to help corporate clients identify, de-risk, validate, and launch early-stage technologies, new ventures, and stranded IP across developed and emerging channels and markets.
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Pilot Lite Ventures typically acquires and directly invests into Corporate stranded or uncommercialized IP, products and brands, predominantly with ethical or sustainable attributes and develops these ventures into free-standing, revenue-generating businesses.
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Pilot Lite’s award-winning incubation process uses a unique AI-driven, human-supported process for end-to-end validation and deployment
Scouting & Origination
(16 weeks)
We provide strategic AI-driven scouting and origination of new business (product / technology or channel) or IP opportunities for future commercialization, focusing on building strategic and sustainable platforms.
The outcome is a set of 5 to 10 tangible investment opportunities that fit our clients' strategic objectives with explicit steps to validate and action the investment and, where the opportunities satisfy our own investment criteria, the potential for direct funding collaboration between Pilot Lite and the client.
Validation
(10-12 weeks)
Our Pilot Lite commercialization team, working with our extensive network of subject matter experts, rigorously validates innovation opportunities through a uniquely commercial lens to assess their 'doability', sustainability and financial viability.
The outcome of this work is an immediately actionable plan to move the opportunity towards implementation and readiness for pilot launch. For opportunities that satisfy our own investment criteria, Pilot Lite can also participate through direct funding collaboration.
Business Readiness
(3-8 months)
Once validated, a period of preparation for launch is required. Pilot Lite’s team takes on accountability for a pilot launch of the opportunity, leveraging our capabilities and methodologies to accelerate and de-risk the opportunity in market. Our team addresses all the core work streams highlighted in Validation, firming up critical planned pathways, raw materials, supply, co-manufacture, sales, logistics and regulatory activities. We initiate and close all contracts in preparation for a green light to launch.
At the end of this stage, the opportunity is ready for an initial pilot launch in market to maximize learning prior to a full scale launch.
Launch
(3-24 months)
Pilot Lite deployment teams take new ventures into market to actively stress test all aspects of launch, including consumer response, supply chain performance and technology robustness. We directly managing all aspects in preparation for a scaled up effort.
This step de-risks the opportunity and accelerates subsequent scale up into the selected target markets.
Scale Up
(6 months)
In preparation for mass scale, where our corporate clients leverage their proven muscle to build businesses, Pilot Lite is deployed to test all partners across the supply chain and their ability to cope with geographic expansion.
Pilot Lite expects the next stage following scale-up to involve either the corporate parent re-absorbing the venture or spinning it out into a stand-alone business. Where the ventures satisfy our own investment criteria, Pilot Lite can also consider investment in such spin outs at this stage of development.
Funding Collaboration
At all stages of consideration, Pilot Lite can participate in co-investment R&D that fit our own rigorous investment criteria.
Whilst corporates often champion breakthrough innovation, they often have difficulty diverting funds from legacy businesses to fledgling ventures and consequently starve them of critical capital. Therefore, in each of the above stages of consideration, should it be appropriate, Pilot Lite has the ability to invest either alongside the client to become a co-investor and scale-up partner, or as an acquirer of stranded or uncommercialized projects or ventures.
Case studies
Case Study:
The world's first roasted, HFSS-compliant potato crisp
In Spring 2021, Pilot Lite announced the launch of a game-changing snack product: Simply Roasted - a premium potato crisp that offers the great taste of a traditional fried crisp but with only half the fat and significantly less salt.
Case Study:
The world's first truly recyclable paper bottle
Pilot Lite and Diageo collaborated to establish Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company that has developed a patented, first-of-its-kind, single-mould paper bottle that is being adopted for use by its global CPG partners.
Case Study:
The world's first eco-friendly, handheld fabric care device
w'air is a revolutionary and versatile fabric care system that spot cleans, deep cleans & refreshes anything from sneakers and sofas to clothing and carpets using just a fraction of the water, energy and detergent of conventional methods.
News
Pulpex Completes Successful Series C Funding
4 July 2023
Pulpex, a Pilot Lite-backed business, announced a successful investment round enabling the company to deliver a world-first, commercial-scale production line to produce genuine paper bottles made of 90%+ sustainably sourced fibre.
The Simple Root's Vegan Cheese Tops Nanny Bill's Burger
15 May 2023
London's famous burger chain Nanny Bill's is featuring plant-based sliced cheese from The Simple Root on one of its seasonal plant-based burgers this summer.
CEO Mike Anstey Addresses Open Innovation at FFT
4 April 2023
Pilot Lite sponsored another Future Food-Tech (FFT) event in San Francisco. The conference in San Francisco was the biggest FFT event to date, with more than 1,600 delegates in attendance.
The Simple Root Branches Out to Plant-Based Cheese
17 January 2023
The Simple Root (TSR) UK has expanded its plant-based food line with a range of veggie-based cheese alternatives.
About Us
Our core team is made up of professionals who combine proven best of class corporate, consultancy and entrepreneurial expertise, together with a wider pool of over 100 technology, geocentric and financial management professionals and subject matter experts worldwide. We engage with and challenge our customers’ organisations, which gives us unrivalled access, insight and relationships.
Meet the team
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Contact
If you would like to find out more about Pilot Lite or what we can do for your business, then call or email us and let's start a conversation.